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The potential dangers associated with AI are widely acknowledged by experts, but reaching a consensus on how to address these risks is proving to be challenging for everyone.
Out of all the global powers, The European Union (EU) has been at the forefront of developing AI laws and regulations, leaving major nations like the United States and China trailing behind.
Its AI Act is already the most advanced piece of legislation on the issue and would seek to limit some uses of the technology.
Why AI is a threat
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When the owners of AI start sounding the alarm bells, then it’s time to be concerned.
CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, has voiced fears about the potential dangers if AI technology goes awry, highlighting the need for government intervention.
While regulatory motions exist in the US, where the process is still in its early stages, industry leaders there, like Altman, have said that they’re not enough.
The worst of their fears is that AI could potentially turn on humanity at some point if measures aren’t implemented quickly enough. Even if that wasn’t to happen, some analysts have said that marginalized communities could become disproportionately affected by AI's impact and be overlooked when defining risks and regulations.
To address these challenges, they say, robust regulation is crucial. This includes licensing, safety standards, independent audits of AI models, and establishing an international regulatory body for global standards.
Current regulations not strong enough
Perhaps the main reason why regulating the technology is so hard is because experts know relatively little about it.
Current online regulatory practices, which have led to important moves such as strong customer authentication (SCA) in internet banking and mandatory KYC in online casinos, came about from years of research into existing technology. The sudden rise of AI is the opposite of that: even its creators aren’t sure about how it functions.
This is why creators like Altman say urgent action is needed to address AI's societal impact. He believes countries aren’t acting quick enough.
His speech did, at least, motivate several major nations to announce what they are doing about it.
The US reaffirmed that it had met with European leaders in Sweden to discuss AI oversight and expressed their commitment to establishing voluntary codes of conduct. In China, authorities are reportedly planning to introduce AI regulations, as noted by Elon Musk, who was involved with OpenAI in the past.
However, the European Union has emerged as the frontrunner in the race for regulation. Its proposed AI Act is the most extensive piece of AI legislation yet and could have a dramatic impact on how the world uses the technology in years to come.
The AI Act, explained
The AI Act divides AI systems into three different categories based on their level of risk. Some AI systems have low risk and don't require many rules. But for AI systems that have a high risk, like self-driving cars or medical devices, there are strict regulations to make sure they're safe and accountable.
If the law is passed, it could have penalties for companies that don't follow the rules, with more severe punishment for persistent offenders.
Right now, the law is being discussed by the European Parliament, and it will take time before it becomes official, although the signs are that this is going to happen.
How other major nations might follow
While the EU has a proposed law waiting for approval, many large nations don’t even have draft legislation written up.
The United States is currently discussing the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly focusing on ChatGPT, but there has been no agreement made regarding proposals.
The decisions made regarding ChatGPT and AI regulation in the US will have a global impact and set the tone for addressing AI risks without hindering innovation.
International cooperation on AI governance is already being discussed in various forums, such as the US-EU Trade and Technology Council and the Global Partnership in AI.
China’s approach is different, although they are no closer to passing official regulation. Its government’s proposed AI regulation aims to protect individuals while consolidating state control over technology and information ecosystems. It favors state-led regulation, raising concerns about ambiguity and discretion, and highlights the importance of strong institutions in the regulation process.
Yet, despite individual efforts from nations, many tech experts like Sam Altman believe a collective international effort is the only way forward. The next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether that’s likely to happen soon.